Abuse and Neglect

Abuse can take many forms – neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse. Often, the victims are innocent children, but certainly include women and men. With 3 million reports of child abuse made every year in the United States involving 6 million children, the U.S. has the worst numbers amongst industrialized nations*. In addition, enduring childhood abuse can make that person much more likely to exhibit psychological disorders, substance abuse or criminal behavior as an adult.

The official or legal definition of neglect varies from state to state but all definitions revolve around a parent or caregiver endangering the wellbeing of a child or someone who is unable to care for his or herself. It may involve some combination of not providing health care, clothing, food or abandonment altogether. With 78.3% of child abuse reports indicating neglect in 2012, it is the most common form of reported abuse in the United States**.

Additionally, according to the U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs, approximately 4.8 million intimate partner rapes and physical assaults are perpetrated against U.S. women annually, and approximately 2.9 million intimate partner physical assaults are omitted against U.S. men annually***.” Women ages 20-24 appear to be at greatest risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence.

Given those statistics, many people and families are impacted somehow, whether a victim of abuse or concerned that someone else may be suffering through abuse or the impact that abuse may have had. For example, a surprising number of children who witness intimate partner abuse develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

Many individuals who experience reoccurring abuse feel trapped. However, there is hope and a number of resources are available to assist, several of which we have provided here as well as additional information about abuse.

Abuse and Neglect Related Articles

Each year, it is estimated that over 650,000 children in the United States will be victims of some sort of abuse or neglect. Often, doctors are involved in diagnosing and reporting these instances to the proper authorities. Doctors and caregivers who interact closely with children on a routine basis should look for signs of abuse so they can help prevent it.

Without proper research and obvious symptoms in the child, it can be impossible for a doctor to make a decision either for or against action. It will take a village to recognize abuse and get help, so keeping your eyes open for any effects in children of friends, family and neighbors is important.

Having a soldier as a parent can be a source of great pride and encouragement for a child. However, recent research suggests that army deployment may be associated with higher levels of neglect and abuse.

As the Baby Boomer population ages up, more and more individuals are living longer than ever before. The percentage of older Americans may be increasing but along with it, so are the national rates of elder abuse, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). A particularly heinous crime, the exploitation, neglect or physical assault of older individuals truly hits home. When reading about these crimes, you can’t help but visualize your own mom or dad, teacher, grandparent or mentor and remember the care they provided others when they were young and strong. Ironically, the abuse of these now-fragile, vulnerable individuals is often at the hand of a family member, friend or “trusted caregiver” and never is reported on at all.

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